After a historic season that saw the team's best playoff run in over 25 years, this upcoming offseason could be just as important for the Islanders. The decisions that are made over the next month will not only impact how well the team does next season, but will also affect how long their Stanley Cup window can remain open. If the team's full to-do list is not approached correctly, the team could quickly revert back to the mediocre status they have been known for in recent years. Here's a look at what the Isles need to do during this crucial and quite unusual offseason.
Pay That Man!
The team has 20 expiring contracts, with 8 of those players having seen the ice with the Islanders this past season. At the NHL level, the Islanders have 3 restricted free agents and 5 unrestricted free agents. Forward Mat Barzal and defensemen Ryan Pulock and Devon Toews are restricted and can sign offer sheets with another team when free agency opens on October 9th if they aren't yet re-signed by the Isles. The team will have the opportunity to match any offers these three players sign. They won't, however, have an opportunity to get their unrestricted free agents back if they decide to sign elsewhere. Derick Brassard, Matt Martin, Tom Kuhnhackl, Andy Greene and Thomas Greiss are the team's unrestricted free agents. All signs are pointing to Greiss leaving, while it is anyone's guess what could happen with the others.
The team's priority has to be signing center Mathew Barzal to a long-term deal. He is the undisputed face of the franchise, and has produced at a consistent level since entering the league in the 2017-18 season. In his three NHL seasons, Barzal has never recorded less than 60 points, even in this shortened season, and his two-way game has improved drastically in coach Barry Trotz's coaching scheme. It isn't quite known yet what a new deal for Barzal might look like, but some are suggesting it could even reach 8 figures. A deal of that magnitude for the 23-year-old would put even more pressure on GM Lou Lamoriello to shed some salary this offseason to meet other team needs.
Along with Barzal, RFA defensemen Ryan Pulock and Devon Toews need new deals. Both have proven that they can log big minutes and play efficiently at both ends of the rink, and should be cornerstones of the Islanders blue line for at least the next few seasons. At 25 and 26, respectively, Pulock and Toews are just entering their primes and have shown tremendous growth in Trotz's system along with the rest of the team. With the cap crunch this offseason, either one of them could take a shorter-term bridge deal to give both sides more time to negotiate a longer-term deal.
As far as the team's unrestricted free agents go, it is a real possibility that all of them could walk. The player that makes the most sense to bring back would be Matt Martin, a fan favorite and key player on the team's very effective fourth line. Martin's most recent contract was for 4 years and $10 million total, which he signed with the Maple Leafs before the Islanders traded for him. Keeping him at that price would make a lot of sense for the team, as his linemates Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck are making 3.35 and 3.5 million annually, respectively. Retaining Martin's services at a discount would work well for both sides, as it certainly seems likely that Martin would like to return to the Island. The other strong candidate to return would be Andy Greene, who proved to be a crucial depth piece of the Islanders' defense core during their deep playoff run. Especially if they are considering shipping out one of their other defensemen to get more financial flexibility, the 37-year-old could receive another one-year deal from the team. Derick Brassard, who was brought in last offseason to be the team's third-line center, has had his role usurped by Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who the team acquired at the trade deadline. The team has enough options to put on Pageau's wings that they can let Brassard find the eighth team of his NHL career.
Making Room
Along with taking care of their own free agents, the team will definitely have to evaluate some ways to get rid of a contract or two. Whether they buy a player out or craft up a trade to save some money, the only way they can do anything in free agency is by clearing up some money to stay under the salary cap. Reports are indicating that one of Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk could be on the way out, especially considering the depth the Islanders currently have on defense. Boychuk is 36 and is due to make $6 million in each of the next two years, so his contract will be significantly more difficult to move than 29-year-old Leddy who makes $5.5 million annually over the same stretch. Assuming Leddy is the one to go and even if Greene departs, the team would still be left with Boychuk, Pulock, Toews, Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield, Noah Dobson, Thomas Hickey, and even Sebastian Aho (no, the other Sebastian Aho) if he re-signs with the team. Moving one of their defensemen would allow the Islanders to focus on the one glaring hole in their otherwise solid roster - an elite top-six scorer to add an extra punch up front.
Free Agency Targets
There is one free agent that makes all the sense in the world for the Islanders to acquire, and that is soon to be ex-Florida Panther Mike Hoffman. While he will certainly be sought after by a number of teams, it is reported that current front-runners are the Islanders, Blues and Canadiens. A lot can change between now and the start of free agency, but at least the Island seems like a potential landing spot for the 29-goal scorer. If they can't shed enough cap to get Hoffman, there are cheaper options on the market that could fill the same need. Evgenii Dadonov, another Florida Panther, could be a slightly cheaper option if money is still tight. Dadonov can produce at a similar level, as he had 25 goals this season, but might not cost as much. He will still definitely generate interest from other teams in the league. It remains to be seen who Lou Lamoriello wants to bring in to provide a much-needed scoring boost. It is also worth noting that the trade market is picking up, especially as many teams are in need of help on the blue line. With a surplus at the position, the Islanders could trade for a scorer, with the likes of Winnipeg's Patrik Laine and New Jersey's Kyle Palmieri potentially available. But, as we know with Lou, nobody really knows what's going to happen until it does.
What We Know
At the bare minimum, the team will still be competitive next year. They still have some of the best coaching and management in the league, and are solid in net with Ilya Sorokin joining the mix next season with Semyon Varlamov between the pipes. In some capacity, it looks like Lamoriello will look to acquire more scoring help, as that is the only real issue preventing this team from taking the next step. It's anyone's guess who might be in the lineup when the season gets underway, but one thing's for sure, it'll sure be fun to watch this offseason unfold.
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